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Man sentenced to four years after filming high speed chase with Westmont police

By DANNY CIAMPRONE - dciamprone@shawmedia.com

June 13, 2014

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Hamza Ali Ben Ali, 31, of Plainfield

WESTMONT – A Plainfield man who filmed a video of himself luring and speeding away from Westmont police was sentenced to four years in prison Friday.

Hamza Ali Ben Ali, 31, of Plainfield, was found guilty in May of aggravated fleeing and eluding police, driving while license suspended, disobeying a traffic control device and having no registration plate on the front or rear of his vehicle, according to the DuPage County Sheriff's Office. He faced up to six years in prison.

When the sentence was handed down Friday by DuPage County Judge George Bakalis, he received four years in prison and one year mandatory supervision.

The charges stem from an October 2012 incident in which Ali coaxed police into a high speed motorcycle chase along Cass Avenue in Westmont after an officer tried to conduct a traffic stop. Ali, who filmed the incident by mounting a camera on his motorcycle, posted the footage on YouTube weeks later.

In the video, Ali slows down and enters a gas station followed by a Westmont squad car. As the police vehicle comes into view, Ali takes off, speeding southbound on Cass Avenue toward I-55, where he merged onto the highway.

Police slow their pursuit of Ali, but catch up to him on I-55. Again, Ali speeds away, weaving in and out of freeway traffic.

About two weeks later, Ali posted the video to YouTube.

He is currently serving three years for an aggravated assault charge in Cook County and will have the four years added to that sentence.

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